I step out of the bathroom in jogger pants and sit on the bed. While I'm drying my hair that's still wet from the shower with a towel, I rummage through my suitcase and find a T-shirt to wear.
Staying in a hotel is Plan B, but I had no other choice. I expected Mr. Spencer's wrath.
I'm just frustrated that I can't be there right now when Nevaeh needs me. I'll be back tomorrow no matter what.
A knock on the door echoes, and I know who it is. Max. He texted me earlier that he would see me tonight.
Luna, however, wouldn't be coming with him. She understands that Max and I need to have this discussion alone.
I walk to the door and halt. Damn. This feels like deja vu, but it's me whose life is in danger right now and not him. Three years ago, I almost beat Max into a bloody pulp when I saw Luna in his hotel room in Paris. Now, whether Max will attack me or not depends on how he's taking the situation after knowing what happened between me and Nevaeh.
I open the door, and there standing before me is Max. We stare at each other for a while.
His expression is stoic. He has his hands inside his pants pocket. "Well, are you going to let me come inside or not?"
I let him step into my hotel room, then close the door behind me.
Nah. He's not going to kill me. As far as I remember, he still wants to marry my sister. Luna will surely hate him if he puts my dead body in a bag, won't she?
Good. My sister is saving my life.
Max flops himself onto the couch and sits like a mafia who owns this place. "Tell me why I shouldn't hit you."
This rascal. I would shoot a sarcastic reply if I didn't need him right now. He has to be on the same team.
Play it cool.
I shrug, shoving my hands into my jogger pockets. "You wouldn't. You have no reason to."
Max squints at me with a scowl on his face. "Really?" His Australian accent is suddenly thick.
"Yeah."
"Yeah?" He scoffs. "Look, I know you. We're not going to speak like strangers because you're like a brother to me, man. I know that you wouldn't hurt a girl, but if you hurt Nevaeh--"
"I am your brother," I say, feeling the urge to correct him. "And I love Nevaeh. Seeing her hurt would break me, and there's nothing I want more than to make her happy." My tone is dead serious.
Max is studying me. He's probably trying to spot any doubt or dishonesty in me, but he won't find it.
"My uncle won't let you get through easily," he says. "I know him so well. It's almost impossible. I don't think that he's ready to entrust his daughter to you."
My lips form into a thin line. "That's not going to stop me." I ball my fist.
Max frowns, deep in thought. It seems that he can't see how I'm going to win this battle.
"Nevaeh and I have been through a lot of obstacles," I say.
I remember everything about us, about how we managed to get through my traumatic past, our fear, and our insecurities. We're stronger, way stronger than before.
"Nothing can separate us anymore. Nothing can break us, till death do us part," I vow.
Till death do us part.
Max sighs, raising his hands in surrender as he stands up. "We'll see what happens then."
Relief washes over me. "Thank you for trusting me."
He shrugs. "Whatever. I don't want to see Luna sad because of how miserable you are."
I chuckle. Fucking good answer. That's why I like this guy.
"Are you going back to my uncle's house tomorrow?" he asks.
"Of course."
"He'll be having a barbeque party tomorrow."
"Guess I'm not invited. But I'll come and talk to him again."
"Good. Just pray that he won't stab you with a knife and grill you as a slice of meat."
I think I'm going to be sick. "You're joking, right?"
Max has this very serious expression mixed with sympathy that makes me swallow.
A while later, he howls with laughter. He laughs so hard that he has to wrap his arms around his stomach. His whole body is shaking.
Once he finishes laughing -- which leaves him breathless -- he touches my shoulder, looks me in the eye, and puts his palm over his heart. "Damn. That felt good."
This rascal. Talk about revenge, huh?
The morning is accompanied by just the right amount of sunshine, but I know that thunder will strike once Nevaeh's father sees me walking into his property again.
I press the button next to the gate. This time, it isn't the security guard who opens the gate. It's Max, already expecting me.
I ignore the guard, who shakes his head in disbelief when he sees me again, then follow Max to the yard, where they're having the barbeque party.
Luna runs toward me as soon as she spots me. She gives me a tight hug, and I can sense how relieved she is.
"Thank God, you're here." She huffs when she pulls away. Her eyes turn sad as she notices the bruise on my face -- the evidence of Mr. Spencer's wrath. She squeezes my arm gently to give me support.
Nevaeh, her mother, Melanie, and Sienna are arranging the table and plates. The moment Nevaeh's gaze darts to me, her eyes turn glassy. I can see the longing and relief in them. But then, before we can approach each other, movement from her father catches our attention. Mr. Spencer stops grilling the meat, ready to storm at me.
To my surprise, Nevaeh's mother comes between us, stopping him as she puts her hand gently on his chest. She shakes her head to remind him to stay calm, and Mr. Spencer looks away with his jaw clenched, as though he's trying to control his anger.
Mrs. Spencer sighs and walks toward me. A soft smile forms on her lips. "We're having a barbeque party, and you can join us, Aiden. You may want to help us set the other grill."
Nothing can explain how grateful I am that Nevaeh's mother has decided to give me a chance. I haven't got her approval yet, but I'm glad that she's willing to know me better. I will prove that I'm not a man who wanted to take advantage of her daughter.
I nod, watching as she leaves to continue placing the dining utensils with Melanie.
Damn, I need to do better. Since I came to this house yesterday, I've only said four words. I guess I was just too happy that she welcomed me -- I couldn't find the right words to show my gratitude.
I spot Vaughn about to bring another grill from the side of the house. Immediately, I stride toward him. "Let me help," I say, and Vaughn lets me carry the grill so that I can place it next to the other one being used by Nevaeh's father.
"Anybody see my knife?" Mr. Spencer's voice booms all of sudden, making us jump.
No one answers him, pretending to mind their own business.
Except for Max. He almost bursts into laughter, and when I glare at him, he retorts, "Sorry. Can't help it."
"Sir." I'm trying to greet Mr. Spencer, but he begins to grill so aggressively that a burst of flame erupts like that scene from Hell's Kitchen.
Right now, he definitely looks scarier than Gordon Ramsay in that show.
Okay. Maybe it's better if I don't talk to him at the moment and wait until he finishes grilling.
Nevaeh steps out of the house, carrying a plate filled with raw meat and sausages. She hands it to me -- probably expecting me to start grilling too -- but a part of me knows that she just needs an excuse to be near me just as much as I need to be near her.
"Nevaeh," Mr. Spencer suddenly barks. "Will you get me the sauce? It's in the kitchen. Now."
Nevaeh looks like she's trying to not roll her eyes. "Okay, Dad."
The next few minutes are spent in an uncomfortable moment between me and Nevaeh's father. He's still grilling aggressively until he suddenly stops, muttering something under his breath.
He leaves the grill and starts ordering around -- telling Max to get the beers and Vaughn to bring the cooler box filled with ice.
While I'm grilling the meat, I steal a lot of glances at Nevaeh. I just can't stop watching her. It's only yesterday that I just got her back, and I still miss her.
I watch as she prepares the table while talking with her family. My eyes follow her every time she comes out of the house after getting something from the kitchen. She's so beautiful that it's killing me.
Back then when she was at my house, I always loved watching her doing simple things. I would never get bored watching her even if it would only be her sipping her tea.
Nevaeh absolutely notices that I'm now watching her like a lovesick fool, so she gives me a soft smile. Warmth sips through my heart.
Fortunately, I haven't burned any meat even though my focus has been on Nevaeh. I stop grilling and bring the food to the table.
I glance at Nevaeh's father, who still looks as unapproachable as ever. He's sitting with a beer in his hand, listening to Vaughn talking to him. Mr. Spencer's glare is set on me, and I wonder if I should approach him after Vaughn finishes talking.
Mrs. Spencer speaks to Nevaeh, "Sweetie, will you bring this to Mrs. Richards? I'm sure that she and her grandson will love the food. Grilled ribs and corns are his favorites."
Nevaeh nods. "Okay, Mom." She takes the food packed in a box.
After taking a glance at her father carefully, Nevaeh walks toward me. "I'll be back shortly. I'm just going to bring this food to my neighbors. They live across the street."
I smile. "Okay."
Nevaeh walks to the gate, which is then opened by the guard so that she can go outside.
I'm still watching her when Max pokes my shoulder. "Let's move the other table closer."
I'm about to do so when a loud shriek rings in my ears.
"Nevaeh!" Mrs. Spencer screams at the top of her lungs.
My heart thuds, and everything seems to happen so fast before my eyes.
One look at Nevaeh, and she's bending down on one knee on the street, picking up the box that she just dropped accidentally.
But that's not what makes my world stops.
It's the sound of a car engine. It's speeding fast. Almost loud. Getting louder with every second passing by.
I don't even know. How long is it until I lose the love of my life? Is it seconds? Milliseconds?
Ten years from now... 20 years from now... 50 years from now... I will never stop wondering why God would take the woman I love so suddenly.
She wasn't supposed to be there crossing the street.
She shouldn't have stumbled and bent down to the ground to pick the food that wasn't worth her life.
A drunk driver shouldn't have sped off on the very same street.
And the sound of tires screeching shouldn't have been the last thing I heard before she was gone.
Nothing shouldn't have torn us apart, because we were meant to be together.
But death was a destiny none of us could escape.